


just your heart, in exchange for mine

by juneedes



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Alternate Universe, Clack Week 2018, M/M, Multiple Endings, Stardust AU, Tags as we go, not sorted, not told chronologically, originally..., other characters finally make their appearance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-13
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2019-06-26 17:50:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 3,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15668217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/juneedes/pseuds/juneedes
Summary: Cloud's a fallen star, and Zack fell on him.And then they fell again, this time for each other.





	1. say such lovely things

**Author's Note:**

> Err, so after listening to Crisis Core's OST Fulfilled Desire, in the small intermission between Final Fantasy theme and Price of Freedom, I was reminded of Stardust OST and, well, AU happened. Yeah, I lifted some from the movie since I don't really know where I'm going with this AU. I have more thoughts on this than something written but I hope you enjoyed this bunch of connected shorties~

 

 

Cloud's seriously thinking about what happened so far in his short life on the ground, maybe a little of his future... True, he dreamed of going down to the ground, and going on adventures of his own, not just looking or listening to whatever songs and stories they could see from the heavens. He just, never expected his adventure to be so sudden, or so dangerous. He didn't expect to be chased down by people who wants to kill him for his heart. Stupid heart granting eternal life and good health and whatever else the stupid humans desire. Stupid heart that doesn't feel like it's his anymore...

"You done yet?"

 Cloud lets out a shout in surprise, then gurgles bath water when he slips in the tub from moving around in his panic. He scowls when he hears Zack laugh from behind the bathroom door. He probably knew he took Cloud off-guard this time.

"Ju-just a minute," Cloud sputters, hoping Zack could feel his glare through the door. Then again, Zack isn't very affected by it. "I'm getting out."

"Alright."

Ah, he backed off easily this time.

Cloud listens to footsteps moving away from the door before he takes the minute he allotted getting out of the bath and making himself presentable again. He pauses when he caught Zack eyeing him once he's out again. Cloud's maybe (definitely) blushing from the attention and so quickly looks away from the too-bright eyes and happy smile that he's become familiar with in the past week. Huh, wonder what he's so happy about this time...

"Did you really mean what you said in the caravan?" Zack suddenly asks.

Cloud frowns a little at the question, freezing upon realization of the question's origins. On the contrary, his heart was starting to beat too fast for his liking. His blue eyes widen as he looks at Zack in horror and starts _rambling_ \--

"But-but-!! You were a pup! You were a puppy, you asked for food, and rubs! You didn't--" He paused to catch his breath and cover his red, red face in embarrassment. "I asked you to give me a sign!"

"And risk you getting embarrassed to say such lovely things?" Zack says with a soft laugh, deciding that's it's about time he goes over and holds Cloud steady before his knees give out from under him from the way he's shaking so badly at the revelation just now. He wants the blond in his arms for a small while now, anyway, and at the very least facing him through this admittedly messy heart-to-heart.

Clouds lets out a nervous laugh at the situation and he lowers his hands a little, just enough to peek at the other man. 

"You want to know what the captain really said to me before we left?" Zack says when Cloud finally looks up at him. He drops his voice to a whisper, not only because of their closeness, but it's like he's telling Cloud a secret.

Cloud nods slowly and glows a little brighter in happiness, probably, or excitement for the information he was curious about for the past few days, and which Zack is now willing to give.

"He said that my true love is right in front of my eyes," Zack confesses, and smiles wider when Cloud's breath hitches at the confession. Then he adds a secret of his own. "And he was right."

Then Cloud _shines_ like the star he's supposed to be, happiness overflowing from him in waves that he had to, in a moment of courage, he had to just reach up with shaking hands to hold Zack's stupid, smiling face and bring him down for a kiss. Forget about the people trying to steal his heart, he's giving his to Zack.

 

 


	2. an angel, a star

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "An angel?"
> 
> "A star."

 

"Mother..?"  
  
Cloud could only stare in horror at the first word the strange falling-- _fallen_ man uttered to him.  
  
Okay, he does look rather dazed and disoriented, most probably from the fall. Cloud knew the feeling, of course, fallen star that he is. Still...  
  
" _No_ ," Cloud hissed, pushing as hard as he can against the man, which proved to be difficult since he had a larger and heavier build compared to Cloud.  
  
And at least the man has some strength left in him, too, as he pushed himself a little off Cloud, and Cloud could finally _breathe_. He blinked some, got his bearings back, and focused enough to look at Cloud. And really look at Cloud to the point that the one under scrutiny starts to blush in embarrassment. Only for their stalement to be broken by him saying, "...Father."  
  
Gaia help him.  
  
"Do I look like your father?!" Cloud snapped.  
  
A grin. What- Oh. _Oh_ , he's--  
  
"An angel?"

...messing around.  
  
Well, close enough, Cloud supposes, since angels were said to reside in heaven, a place even higher than the plane he lives on. Not that he ever met or seen one to know it to be true.  
  
"A star," he finally corrects, giving one last push against the stubborn man. He wants _off_!  
  
Cue stunned silence. Then the man finally, properly scrambles off Cloud.

"You're the star? You're the star! Really?!" the man exclaims, excitement radiating off him in waves. Cloud could almost, almost compare him to a puppy, if he remembered those silly little creatures right.  
  
"Oh, huh, wow, I never thought you'd be a..."  
  
Cloud only glared in warning, just daring him to complete that sentence and compare him to... _something_.  
  
"Well, either way, I'll just say sorry in advance?"  
  
Cloud, tired and weary, and just dropped out of the sky, couldn't even finish asking what he was saying sorry for. He just suddenly found himself bound by a silver chain, with the other end in the man's hand.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Zack and falling is a thing, lol  
> And I just really wanted to use the "An angel?" line


	3. hold on tight, and think of home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or, out of the fire, and into the clouds

 

"Think of home?!"

Oh, Cloud really, really thought of home. When he realized Zack was lighting the Babylon candle, he thought even harder if it, heart fluttering away at the thought of finally going home, even if he didn't really get to go through his promise. He reasoned Zack said it first, but still...

"We thought of our own homes and now we're halfway between the two!"

"There was a maniac after you!" Zack argues back, also sounding a little crazed, himself after that almost-death they just went through. "Then somebody died, everything's on fire, and--" A long blanked-out look at his empty, tingling hand made him add, "And the Babylon candle's gone!"

Well, he did stick it into the a wall of flame in his desperation to light it and save them both.

"And you wanted more specific instructions?!"

And his words cut deep into Cloud. He shudders, thinking of the death they just narrowly escaped.

"Sorry," Cloud grits out, forcing himself to calm down. He gets a small nod and a relieved sigh from Zack, and Cloud's a little glad to see Zack also calming himself. It will do them no good, fighting like this, especially when-- Gaia, especially when  _Zack saved his life, and they're stuck---_

Out the pan and into the fire, as the humans say, but more like out of the fire and into the clouds.

Cloud's eyes widen as he realizes where they are.

"Clouds vanish, Zack," Cloud says slowly, forcing his mind out of the horror they left behind and into their current predicament. Maybe he sounds a little frightened, but it's understandable. "I see them vanish all the time--!"

Cloud dares look down, beyond the cloud they're on, like he used to do from his place in the stars above, and sees for himself that it's a solid drop. No. No way they're getting down without dying. Now it's into another death--by falling, apparently, and Cloud's really sick of this falling thing.

"I know, I know, I look at them, too," Zack interrupts his panicking talk, dragging Cloud into a thicker part of the cloud; somewhere near the center, he hopes. Even he looks at a loss, but he still has the gall to add, "I'm looking at one."

Oh, he jokes still.

"Zack, we're going to die--!!"

And he's cut off as a heavy net drags them down, below the cloud, and onto a wooden deck, with less than friendly faces immediately looming above them.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of clouds in this chapter, and I kinda mixed in a little stuff from the book.
> 
> May redo this chapter depending on how the others will play through.


	4. Ending III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last thing he sees is Cloud tearing up and desperately mouthing his name.

 

 

...there he is, stumbling towards him, his mere presence bringing relief to Zack.

He's breathing hard, but Zack decides that it's better than not breathing at all. There's blood everywhere, most prominently on his chest just shy of his heart, and it pains Zack to think of how that came to be.

"Zack..."

Wait, shit. Cloud's knees give in, and he stumbles to the ground, near enough to Zack, enough for Zack to see those sky blue eyes staring at him with worry.

"Cloud..." Zack calls, and is a pleased to see Cloud respond ever so slightly. He smiles faintly, and when Zack reaches out, tangling his fingers in those golden locks in the sign of affection he was just recently allowed, Cloud shines a little in his tell-tale sign of happiness.

"You did it," Zack praised, and the last thing he sees is Cloud tearing up and desperately mouthing his name.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I was feeling sad, I managed to write three versions of the ending for this. I posted the third one, hence the title Ending III, because it's the most...complete, I guess.


	5. nevertheless alive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back at this again, just for a bit.
> 
> It's another ending scenario, and it's a mix of Stardust's book ending and Crisis Core ending.
> 
> It goes as well as expected.

 

 

 

_Life isn't so eternal for humans, apparently. It didn't matter if they had a star's heart or not._

 

 

 

Zack passed a long time ago - he would have with old age, but no, he went earlier (way, way earlier) with a smile and won battle and a fierce welcome for Death. All for Cloud, who lay there at the altar, where  _he_  was supposed to be the one to die at the hand of the witches who had hunted him since he fell. Instead, Cloud was left watching in horror as Zack perished in front of him.

Cloud was found several days later, mind broken and wanting to die ( _live, die, live, die---it's an endless thought cycle_ ), wanting to go after Zack ( _Zack..? Who's Zack?_ ) but nevertheless alive.

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

  
It's only after years and years of picking up the pieces of himself and listening to the soft, soft voices of the cosmos in the silent evenings that he finally completed the picture of his past and his life and he finally looked up at the stars with recognition and an eternal sadness in his eyes.

But not being able to go back to the heavens was nothing compared to the loss of his heart; the loss of the home of his heart.

 

 

 

After all, Zack held his; and Death took Zack to their kingdom a long time ago.

 

 

 


	6. no matter what

 

"Why did you let him leave?" Tseng asks Cissnei, his calm tone bleeding with hints of frustration. "You know he's supposed to stay here!"

"You know he doesn't belong here," Cissnei asserts, even if her heart is pounding in her chest for what she had done. " _We_ don't belong here."

"Our orders were to keep Zack safe."

"It's--" she starts, before sighing. Orders, orders. "He's safe. At least, I checked the attic, and he has the trinkets with him. He has the snowdrop and the materia."

Tseng shook his head.

"Magic is not the only dangerous thing in Gaia, you know that, and Zack doesn't even have much skill to defend himself."

"I-I know, Tseng, but... he's almost of age. It's not _right_ for someone like him to stay ignorant of these things."

He agrees with her, yes, but then, Zack isn't as prepared as he would have liked. Zack might as well walk into his own death.

"I'm contacting Vincent," Tseng informs her, finally making up his mind. "We don't have the means to look for Zack, or continue keeping him safe from here, but the rest do."

Cissnei's breath hitched at her leader's next course of action. It's their best option now, but there's something intimidating in contacting the people they haven't been in contact with for so long. Cissnei practically grew up with Zack in Gongaga. She was but a child when they brought her over to the town, as well, all to aid her fellow Turks.

"Alright. And we..?"

"Stay here and wait for Zack or our new orders. It would be suspicious for people to go missing at once, we'll continue laying low."

He sighed in resignation, a rare show of cracks in his usually stoic demeanor. Only Zack could have done that, and he does it again.

"We'll handle this," he says with finality. "We are Turks."

 

"We complete the mission. No matter what."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eheh, the Turks make their appearance.
> 
> Just a little something to get by on the road.


	7. it shows; just ask

 

It's a clear night. There was no rain, nor storm. The stars and the moon were shining brightly, probably celebrating Cloud being alive after that disaster of a inn. And somehow, the crew of SOLDIER caught on the mood. Cloud could hear the soft sounds of music starting to play from the deck.

"They're starting," Vincent informed Cloud as he woke from his nap beside the star. The Turk had taken it upon himself to accompany Cloud while they were on board. Cloud didn't mind. Vincent helped train and acclimate Cloud to the new environment. The star even took it as lessons to being human.

"Starting what?"

"A dance. If the skies are pleasant and Cid's in a good mood, he drags Shera to dance along with him."

"He's actually very sweet, isn't he," Cloud snickered as he looked down the deck where, certainly, Cid was leading a laughing Shera.

"He has his moments," Vincent agreed, looking down, as well. Just in time to see Legend sweep in with a flustered Elena trying to keep up. "We better go down before they do drag us by force," he added, but made no move to do as he said.

Cloud sighed. All he really wanted was to be as close to his family while he's where he is, but knows Vincent is right. The crew can be very forceful when need be.

"Cloud," Vincent interrupts his sad musings again. "I know what you are."

Time seemed to have stopped for him that very moment. It felt like someone doused him in ice. Or that creeping feeling when a predator is closing in. He tensed. Readied himself to fight, if need be, even if it were to end in futility, what with him surrounded by the rest of the crew, and in a ship in the sky with nowhere to escape to.

"Relax. No one in this vessel will hurt you," Vincent assured.

"...do the rest know?"

"Hm... no. But perhaps I'll inform the captain at a later time. It _is_ his ship, after all," he replied. "But rest assured that nothing will happen to you. To you both," Vincent added, after seeing the deepening frown.

Cloud exhaled a shuddering breath, trying to will his nerves away. After a long pause, Cloud decided to simply get out of the situation by actually following Vincent's advice and joining the rest. He can hear Zack calling him, anyway.

The past few days on SOLDIER had done wonders to them, especially to Zack. He took up training under the Captain, Angeal, and easily integrated into the crew, and was, as Zack helpfully informed Cloud, back to his happy, upbeat self that he even earned himself the nickname of puppy only a few days into their stay. He seemed very much at home.

"I suggest you remain here for the time being," Vincent said as they both stood. Well, Cloud tried, but Vincent can see the star shaking since he nodded to acknowledge Cloud's shaking hands. One slip up on their climb down the deck would be deadly. "I'll call Zack for you."

Relief crossed Cloud's face before settling back to a more relaxed, neutral state. He mumbled a thanks to Vincent. Familiarity would be nice now, especially after that shock.

"You should control your emotions," Vincent commented, and the Turk had to sound a little amused. "It shows."

The faint glow he had in his relief faded into nothing. Cloud's mood obviously plummeted again from that, only proving Vincent's point but fortunately he left it at that.

 

* * *

 

 

"You alright, Cloud?" was the first thing Zack asked when he finally clambered up the crow's nest, where Zack was sure the star was trying to feel closer to home. He spent most of his free time up there ever since they were picked up and somehow accepted on SOLDIER.

"What?" Cloud asked, puzzled. "Fine. Why?" In fact, relieved that Zack's beside him when his status as a star is probably already out. Who knows what "later time" is to Vincent.

"Nothing," Zack hummed. "You looked like a lot's on your mind." So in an attempt to lighten the mood, Zack gave his hair a ruffle, messing with his already messy hair.

After Cloud fought back and finally made Zack stop, Zack merely settled for slinging an arm around Cloud, a protective weight swaying him along with the tune. They spent a few verses in comfortable silence until Zack tugged at him a little too much. Cloud huffed in frustration after that, and slipped an arm around Zack's waist as well, gently squeezing the man's side where he could reach it. That drew a surprised sound from the taller man, who wasn't expecting Cloud to allow any more touches when he was normally adverse to it.

"If you wanted to dance, you could have just asked."

Recovering enough from the surprise, Zack raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Yeah?" Zack hummed, relaxing his hold on Cloud and slipping his hand back from around Cloud's shoulders and settled it at Cloud's nape, gently tugging at soft blond strands. "Would you say yes, Cloud?"

Because Zack's hopeful and Cloud's glowing faintly and almost face to face with him in his arms. He's carefully reaching out for Cloud's other hand hanging limp by his side--it's a little cold--

Cloud lets out a sigh, probably from the warmth as he gratefully squeezed Zack's hand in return. He even leaned a little on where Zack has a better hold on him and playing with his hair. Oh, he's definitely glowing now.

"Yes?"

Zack laughed lightly at the unsure answer. Cloud laughed along.

"Dance with me, Cloud?"

So Zack says while swaying along to the music.

"Aren't we already?" Cloud mumbled, but Zack heard it in the quiet of their nest.

He promptly stopped.

"Ah..."

Cloud tugged at the man, pouting when he wouldn't budge. He huffed in frustration, slumping a little in Zack's hold but Zack holds him steady with a grin spreading on his face.

"Zack..."

"Dance with me," he all but demanded as he draws Cloud closer with a better hold.

Cloud couldn't find it in him to say no.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who said you can't write fanfic between doing thesis eheh, though I only posted this after all that because, well, thesis. I was really excited to write, and at the same time, scared of this scene though, it's unreasonably sweet I can't believe I wrote this.
> 
> Anyway, hello again and enjoy.


End file.
